The Dark Side of Pokemon Episode 2
by Ayem
Summary: I don't own Pokemon. Nintendo Gamefreak does.I'm still not confident in my wiriting skills, so and comments or critiues would REALLY help me here.Pokemon if it were real. It's dark.You need to have read episode 1 for this to make sense.


The Luxray had a strange dream that night... He had been hunting with his family... then humans had come. He'd battled, he'd been in a laboratory... What a nightmare. Well not all of it. He had dreamt of a kind young girl who helped him escape.

Oh well, it was all just a dream

The Luxray opened his eyes, to find he was not sleeping next to his wife, or his son. It wasn't really a surprise. But the short time which there was a chance it could have been 'just a dream' lifted the Luxray's spirits momentarily. He sprung up, stretched in the leaves and yawned. As expected, the girl named Belle was lying in the leaves where she had the night before, looking completely at peace with the world. She blended in with the undergrowth perfectly in her dark brown clothes. The white coat she had been wearing on their escape had been discarded, never to be worn again.

The Luxray looked over at Belle, wondering what was going to happen to them next. The Luxray had no idea why those people seemed so desperate to find him last night, but he got the feeling his life was never going to be the same again. He figured if he was going to get answers, he was going to have to try and understand the humans. He was getting nowhere talking a different language.

'Excuse me, human.' He said gently above Belle, who's eyes began to flicker. 'I know you can't understand me, but I think we need to try and start communicating regularly... just to get some practice in.'

Belle stretched and yawned. 'Oh, Cobalt. What are you doing up so early?'

There was a familiar word... she'd been saying Cobalt since she met him. 'Uh... a question. What does "Cobalt" mean?'

It was a string of gibberish to Belle, except for the word Cobalt, which she made out clearly.

'Cobalt? Are you trying to say Cobalt?'

'Cobalt! I heard it again! But what does Cobalt mean?!'

'You said it again! What are you trying to say?'

'What?!'

'Huh?'

The conversation was going nowhere, and they both stopped.

_Perhaps she is naming me Cobalt..._ the Luxray thought after a few minutes thinking. _Alright... from, this moment on I shall be known as "Cobalt"._

He decided to test this idea. If he could just break the barrier of language, he would be one step closer to understanding.

He turned to Belle, who seemed lost in thought. 'Human?' He said, grabbing her attention. 'Am I Cobalt?' Belle looked utterly confused. 'Cobalt. Cobalt, Cobalt.' He said again.

Belle seemed to mull the words over before replying: 'You're Cobalt.' She smiled and pointed to herself. 'I'm Belle,' She pointed to Cobalt, 'you're Cobalt.'

'Cobalt...' The Luxray said proudly. 'I like the way it rolls of the tongue. _Coooo_balllt.'

Belle laughed and ruffled the spiky mane of the newly named Cobalt. 'Whatever you say.'

It wasn't much, but it was a start. At this rate, Cobalt felt confident he could learn the language by lunchtime.

The two of them sat in the morning shadows, watching the small town go about their daily business through the bushes. It seemed quaint... concerned only with matters on a local level and everyone knowing everyone else. People greeted each other in the streets, like lost family. They embraced each other before jogging along happily, sometimes followed by Pokémon Cobalt could never have dreamed of.

These were humans? He had expected them to be more... bloodthirsty. At the very least. He hadn't expected the Pokémon to be wandering free. Did any Pokéballs exist in this perfect town? He was beginning to doubt it... Perhaps only some humans were bad? Belle certainly wasn't bad.

'You know, Cobalt,' Belle started, 'I wonder if you'd like to come with me, to help us fight. Not to physically fight, but to fight against the Pokémon League.'

Cobalt tilted his head, struggling to understand. 'Pokémon League.' He repeated. What better way to learn?

'Yeah, they're the ones who did this to you. And every other Pokémon in the world. When we get back to base, I'll...' She trailed off, and a shocked look spread across her face. 'Base? Oh, no...'

She stood up and poked her head out of the bushes to make sure the coast was clear. Cobalt watched curiously, as she looked all around before coming back into the safety of the trees.

'We have to go now.' She said urgently. 'I don't know how, but we need to GO.'

Cobalt senses the stress in her voice. 'Go?' He mimicked.

But there was no time for Belle to answer... thinking quickly, she grabbed the discarded lab coat from the dirt and covered Cobalt with it.

'If I know Rowan, he'll have the whole town guarded. So just stay under there, alright?'

Cobalt's nose, which had been sticking out, was quickly drawn beneath the white fabric. He looked like a lump of snow.

'It may be suspicious, but it's less suspicious than you wandering around without any disguise at all.' Belle said. 'Now just follow me, alright? _Follow._ Just follow me until I give you the heads up.'She guided the blind Cobalt through the bushes and out into the open for the first time since last night. The light made it easy for Cobalt to see outside.

Belle brought the neck of her shirt up around her face until only her eyes were visible. Cobalt noted they were heading towards a large orange building, quite a contrast to the small cottages it was surrounded by. They had to be going there.

Everything seemed to be going fine, that was until someone laid their hand on Belle's shoulder.

'Are you alright dear?' The voice of an old lady said.

'Pokémon sick... off to Pokémon Centre. Very contagious.' Belle's muffled voice snapped. That should have been enough to make anyone clear off, but the lady followed, seeming genuinely worried.

'Oh, deary. Let me help you. Your Pokémon is obviously very sick. I'll guide you to the Pokémon Centre.'

Belle shuffled her shoulder loose from the woman's grip. 'No! Please just leave us alone.'

Belle fastened the pace. Cobalt hurried along under the robe.

'Are you sure you're alright? You seem very funny!' The lady called out helpfully from behind them as Belle pushed open the glass doors to the Pokémon Centre.

The atmosphere instantly changed. The icy air they'd just ran through was replaced by a warm, but not overpowering temperature. A calming music was emanating from the speakers above. There was a light chatter from a group of people standing in the corner. Belle started towards the end of the room, where a nice young lady sat. Cobalt followed with the coat trailing behind him.

The lady stood up upon seeing Belle and Cobalt. 'What happened to you? Are you alright?'

Belle spoke in almost a whisper as she reached the counter. 'I'm in need of the specialist...' Belle leaned over the counter. 'I want to see André.'

The lady's expression turned serious. 'PPA?' She whispered back.

'Yes.' Belle replied.

The Lady gestured them to move to their left where an ordinary wooden door was situated. Belle walked, followed by a very confused Cobalt, through it, closing it gently behind them.

Belle breathed in relief, letting her shirt neck fall of her face. 'Well, that was close.' She lifted the coat off Cobalt, who had been near blind again due to lack of proper lighting. He could now see they were in a poorly constructed tunnel, with mud for walls and a cheap linoleum scrap rolled along the ground for a floor. He walked along side Belle, who had taken off down the tunnel. The earth crunched below their feet and the linoleum. Perhaps if they were a bit quieter, it wouldn't have given warning to the guard outside the door.

There was an ear-splitting screech from just in front of them. Out of the shadows leapt a white canine of nine tails. The tails flashed above the cream pelted fox.

'Dawn, whoa! Dawn! It's me, Belle!'

Cobalt, who had jumped before Belle in an effort to protect her found himself face to face with the ominous looking Ninetales. Dawn the Ninetales, who had obviously recognized Belle, stepped back and leant down into a bow.

'My apologies, Belle. My eyesight isn't very good in such dark conditions.' Dawn said, much to the surprise of Cobalt.

'You can talk human?' Cobalt exclaimed in shock.

Cobalt was then in for more shock as Dawn spoke fluently in his language: 'I talk many tongues.' She smiled, then walked back to her post in the shadows, standing so still she could have been a decorative statue. Moving no muscles spare on her face, Dawn spoke. 'Password...?' She asked emotionlessly, this time in English.

'Oh, no wait... don't tell me.' Belle said quickly.

'I can't anyway.' Dawn sighed, rolling her eyes.

'It's Thursday... that means it's going to start with an S today... But it's the second, so that negates the S... that means it's an H. I think it's hose, hope... no. Happy. Wait! It is hope! Hope.'

'Very good, but today's Wednesday.' Dawn laughed. Belle cursed under her breath.

'Forget it, you've given me enough proof it's you.' Dawn teased as she stepped aside to allow them through yet another plain looking door. 'André's waiting for you inside.'

Belle pushed it open with a creak, walked inside, then shut it, leaving Dawn outside to continue her guarding. Inside, it was not as Cobalt had imagined. Where as outside was dark, cheaply put together and quite smelly, the room they'd just stepped into was nothing but class. There were expensive looking rugs lining the floor, this time marble, not linoleum. The walls were lined with beautifully painted portraits of men and women, all wearing a startling blue uniform. There were two actual statues of Ninetales either side of an ornate desk. In a beautifully carved chair behind it, say a ragged looking man. He looked to out of place in the well kept, spotless room. His face was scarred, and his black untamed hair fell over his dark eyes. Belle stepped forward with Cobalt at her heals.

'I can't help but wonder whether you did the right thing last night.' The man said as Belle approached. His voice was friendlier than his appearance. It was understanding, willing to forgive.

'I'm guessing Rowan put out a bulletin?' Belle asked.

The man, presumably named André, nodded. He grabbed a remote control near him, clicking a button. From a gap in the floor, a flat-screen television rose, dominating the room.

'I recorded it for your entertainment.' André smiled, clicking the remote again. The TV flickered into life, presenting a well-dressed woman standing in front of the ghostly white building Belle and Cobalt had recently escaped. The interview was already a few minutes in, and the woman was deep into her report.

'...Warns people to be wary of the violent Luxray, who was stolen from the research facility yesterday evening by dangerous Pokémon thief: Belle Bonaparte...'

Belle's photo from her research ID flashed on the screen for a second. '...Authorities warn the public to stay away at all costs, and to report any sightings to their nearest police centre. This has been Sinnoh News Net – Information from the people, for the people.'

André switched it off. 'So... you're on the run, you stole a Luxray-'

'_Freed_ a Luxray.' Belle corrected angrily.

'Yes, freed a Luxray and you're a dangerous Pokémon thief.'

Belle smiled at André's comments. 'I'd never have thought Rowan would go to so much trouble.'

André nodded. 'The only thing the broadcast didn't spill to the public was why. Something I hope you're going to reveal to me now.'

Belle looked down at Cobalt, who'd been waiting patiently since they'd walked in. 'Cobalt... go.' She pointed to André.

_Cobalt...go. Cobalt's me... and go. Go to where she's pointing._

'Well, I can see you've already made headway teaching him English.' André laughed as Cobalt hopped onto the desk, throwing papers around as he scrambled around. The paperweight smashed to the floor, and the desk creaked under his weight. 'Now, what's so special about you... Cobalt is it?'

'Cobalt.' Cobalt said.

'Very good... my name's André. I'm _André_.' He pointed to himself. He then turned back to Belle. 'He's a fast learner, no doubt about that. Dawn should have no trouble teaching him.'

André looked back at the Luxray sitting on his rare, hand-carved desk. 'There doesn't seem to be anything special about him... what happened to make dear old Rowan want him so much?'

'He's immune to Pokéballs.' Belle stated seriously.

André's face lit up. 'You... you mean, it had no effect? At all?'

'Well, it made him angry. Other than that, nothing. At least that's what I heard from Rowan.'

André looked amazed at Cobalt after hearing these words. He'd always theorized, calculated, but there had never been any proof until now.

'This is it, you know.' André said to Belle. 'This is our secret weapon against the League. An undercover position lost was well worth getting Cobalt in return.' André scratched Cobalt under the chin, causing him to purr.

'Rowan seemed awfully worried about Cobalt.' Belle perked up, eager to give as much information as she could. 'He was desperate to scan him, to find out what the gene was, or something.'

'Yes, because the only way possible he could escape the hypnosis of a Pokéball is for him to be immune to the chemical. If he eliminated the gene right there and then, his troubles would be over. It's a good thing you got him out of there when you did. If not, there's be one less Luxray in the world.'

'You mean, they would've killed him?' Belle asked in disgust.

'If I know Rowan, yes. As soon as he found out about the gene, why risk people finding out about the gene? Get rid of the evidence, that was always his style.' He slammed his fist on the desk. Cobalt jumped off hurriedly, sitting back next to Belle on the rug.

There was a long silence in which both Belle and André were deep in thought about Cobalt, and how he could help their cause.

'You know, I just realized we have nowhere to go.' Belle said. 'I can't go back to my flat in Jubilife... that'll be the first place they'll check for me.'

André grinned showing his neglected teeth. 'I'm assuming that was a hint?' He laughed. 'Alright... you can stay here until we get you to PPA headquarters safely.'

'Thankyou SO much André.' Belle stepped around the desk and cuddled André tightly.

'Hey, what are big brothers for?' André then stepped around his little sister towards the side of the room. 'Let me get you a drink... I've got milk for Cobalt. He should like that.' He opened one of the glamorous glass shelves and pulled out some of the most ornate glasses available in Western Sinnoh. 'How about I call Dawn in, and we'll all have a bit of a...'

Belle, Cobalt and André all jumped as a shrill beeping filled the room. Cobalt and Belle looked to the source of the noise to see the eyes of the statue Ninetales flashing in time with the sound.

There was a knock at the door... which turned into a bashing.

'André, what is it?' Belle asked, frightened.

André dropped the glasses to the floor, running over broken glass to Belle and Cobalt.

'Shhh!' He urged. He stood her up guiding her towards a wardrobe. 'Stay in there... do not make a sound. No matter what happens.' Belle felt herself lodged between old fur coats as André pulled Cobalt over too. 'Come on, in. Cobalt, go.' André whispered using the only two words Cobalt knew. Though Cobalt growled in irritation, he followed Belle in the wardrobe and allowed the wooden doors to close on him and Belle.

Outside, they could hear André scurrying towards the entrance to the room. The alarm had stopped, and they just heard André whisper once more to them: 'Remember, no matter what happens.' Belle managed to push the wardrobe door open a little just as André unlocked the door.

A huge man dressed in a blue guard's uniform came bursting through the door, causing André to slip on the broken glass, landing on his back.

'Alright, where is she?!' The guard commanded. His entrance was so brutal, many of André's rare collectables flew from the shelves. The guard's Houndoom entered next, dragging something pale in it's mouth. Belle gasped as she realized it was Dawn. Dawn was dropped like a rag to the floor as the Houndoom sniffed the air, glared this way and that, waiting for command from his human.

André quivered and rushed to the unconscious Ninetales, carrying her towards the soft couch to rest on.

'You really should tell your Pokémon to watch it's manners.' The guard taunted. 'There's a reason Pokémon weren't meant to talk. Now, give me the girl. And the Luxray too, if you have it.'

'Excuse me?' André asked, pretending to look confused. 'What girl? There's only me in here, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm male.'

'Listen, you tree-huggin' hippie... Rowan doesn't have time for your nonsense. I heard voices, and the girl was followed into this very Pokémon Centre, and seen walk through a door behind the nurse, who wasn't as willing to keep secrets as you thought. Now do us all a favour and give up the girl!'

'What? Rowan too chicken to come see me himself?' André asked scornfully, letting Dawn rest and keeping her out of danger. 'Got the muscle to do the hard work while he sits at home, scarred to get his hands dirty? Well you scurry on back to Rowan and tell him if he wants to talk, he can come and see me personally instead of sending one of his brain-challenged minions to do an intellectual's job.'

The guard, who had done a good job so far of containing his anger, grabbed André by his tattered shirt and lifted him from the ground. 'Just give me the girl.' He snarled, spraying spit into André's rough face. 'I know I heard voices... if it wasn't the girl, who was it?'

André, who was still dangling from the hands of the guard, pointed to the TV which, thankfully, he still had out from it's storage. 'Can't a guy watch TV without people knocking down his doors? Now, if you please, _sir_, you are breaking and entering and I have every right to take you to court and sue you for damage. Just look at those beautiful vases... all the way from Kanto...'

The guard suddenly realized that he was getting too deep into this, and dropped André. 'More people will be sent around later, so... so you just watch out!' He said, rather unimpressively. 'C'mon, Houndoom.' They exited, this time the guard shut the door a tad more gently to avoid any more breakages.

André stayed still, holding up a hand to Belle as she was about to open the wardrobe. A few seconds past before André hurried to the door, opening it to make sure the coast was clear. He closed it, locked it, then nodded to Belle and Cobalt... it was safe.

Belle came bursting through the door. 'André! Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?' Belle let her brother lean on her as she walked him to the couch where Dawn lay.

He groaned as he sat into the soft pillows. 'You were followed, then? You never told me that.'

'I... don't know. I can't see how anyone did. Unless it was that old lady... but, come on! She was just a nice woman who was genuinely concerned!'

André chuckled. 'You've got to learn to look inside of people instead of judging them from the outside. You can't trust anybody in this game.'

'You're taking it rather well, you know.' Belle said as she sat beside her brother.

'Anger does nothing for me.' He said, smiling once again.

Beside them, Cobalt was trying comfort Dawn, who was just coming around. 'I'm sure you were amazing back there. That other Pokémon was so much stronger than you. But you held him back!'

'Thankyou, Cobalt.' Dawn wheezed. 'But it's all in a days work.'

'Are you alright there, Dawn?' André asked. 'I'd go up to the Pokémon Centre, but I'm afraid I may just not be able to control my anger if I were to talk to that backstabbing nurse. And that's saying something for me.'

'I'll be fine.' Dawn said.

'Will she be, though?' Belle asked. Cobalt looked up too, seeking an answer.

'I've got some medicine in my cabinet. It's not orthodox, but it'll hopefully get the job done.' He stood up, despite being in some pain. 'And once we revive her, we've got to get out of here. They have no way to prove it, but I think they, Rowan I mean, know I'm keeping you here. I say we go to PPA headquarters as soon as we can. This afternoon at the very latest.'

He piled the glass bottles into his arms, grabbing a bottle of whiskey as he went. 'The Pokémon Protection Agency will want to hear about this.'

He drank down some of the whiskey and sat next to Dawn, inspecting the old, worn bottle labels.

Belle looked anxiously at the injured Dawn, barely able to move.

'Sorry for all the trouble I caused.' She said guiltily. 'They only let me in because I'm your sister. There's no way an idiot like me can contribute anything to the PPA.' She lay her head in her hands and sighed. 'I'm quitting as soon as we get there.'

'Well, I can't force you to stay.' André said as he began giving the potions to Dawn. 'But make sure you're aware of the great accomplishment you made today. I'm sure Cobalt thanks you too.'

Cobalt perked up upon hearing his name spoken.

André finished the bottle he was giving Dawn, then gently hoisted her over his shoulder. 'Well, come on.' He said. 'The sooner we leave, the sooner we can avoid the police. They'll have a warrant to search the place any second... and I don't think any threats I make will go down well with them.'

Belle too stood, followed by Cobalt. The four of them were out the door a second later, with André not bothering to lock it.

'I hope you know what you're getting into, Cobalt.' Dawn cautioned Cobalt from André's shoulder as the hastily walked away. 'We got off easy this time. There are enemies everywhere, you can't go outside without being in disguise... you're practically throwing away your freedom by joining.'

'Throwing it away?' Cobalt sneered. 'I'm fighting to get it back.'


End file.
